RICHARD WAGNER (1813-1883): Träume for Violin and Small Orchestra in A Flat, WWV 918, Siegfried Idyll in E, WWV 103, Träume from Wesendonck Lieder, WWV 91 (arr. Trumpet, Brass Ensemble and Harp by Arthur Frackenpohl [b.1923]), VITTORIO MONTI (1868-1922): Csárdás with Themes by Wagner for Violin and 4 Bassoons (arr. Arthur Kullnig), EMMANUEL CHABRIER (1841-1894): Souvenirs de Munich (orch. David Matthews [b.1943]), PAUL HINDEMITH (1813-1883): Overture to "The Flying Dutchman" as Played at Sight by a Second-Rate Spa Orchestra at the Village Well at 7 O'Clock in the Morning for String Quartet, ERNST KRENEK (1900-1991): Serenade for Clarinet and String Trio, Op. 4, ANTON WEBERN (1883-1945): Movement for String Trio, Op. posth.

Description: This collection of Wagner and music inspired by Wagner has a listing inside the booklet "For Wagner" and "Against Wagner". Only Krenek and Webern are listed as "against" in what we didn't realize was a competition. And the fact that, instead of notes, there is a three-page personal essay by a German novelist you will not have heard of, doesnt' help clarify matters. However, it is plain that this is a fun disc, made by members of the most famous orchestra in the world out of sheer pleasure and there is enough unusual repertoire here (how many times have you heard Wagner's own violin-and-orchestra piece?) - and a new orchestral transcription by one of the active British pair of Matthews composers - that the scoreboard really shouldn't matter. Members, Ensembles and Guests of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.